The Department on Disability and the Commission on Disability work together to respond to the needs and concerns of citizens in the City of Los Angeles. The Commission advocates for people with disabilities and serves in an advisory capacity to the Department. The Commission holds public hearings on critical issues, identifies priority issues to be addressed, and makes recommendations to the Mayor and City Council.
- Commissioners
Akiko Tagawa, President
Myrna Cabanban, 1st Vice President
Mary Grace A. Barrios, Commissioner
Jorge E. Acevedo, Commissioner
Dr. Robert Bitonte, Commissioner
Iran Hopkins, Commissioner
Alisa Schlesinger, Commissioner
Robert Williams, Commissioner
Louis Herrera, Commissioner
- Responsibilities
- Development of Commission agendas
- Recommendations for assignment of members to ad hoc committees and task forces
- Coordination of public hearings and preparation of consequent reports to the Mayor and City Council
- Preparation of required Commission annual reports
- Liaison to the other Commissions and community at large on disability issues
- Coordination of Commission special events and public relations activities, as needed
- Regular Commission Meetings
Regular Commission meetings are held on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 2:00 P.M. in-person at the Board of Public Works Hearing Room 350, City Hall 200 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 and virtually over Zoom. Please contact the Commission Office to confirm meeting date and time (sometimes there are last minute changes).
- Commission Public Hearings
Visit disability.lacity.gov/cod-hearings for more information.
- Betty Wilson Humanitarian Award of Excellence
The Betty Wilson Humanitarian Award of Excellence is presented to an individual, organization, or agency that has increased disability awareness and made significant contributions to accessibility and quality of life for people with disabilities in the City of Los Angeles disability community.
About Betty R. Wilson
Betty R. Wilson was a pioneering disability rights leader whose decades of service helped shape disability policy, programs, and community engagement across Los Angeles. She dedicated her career to ensuring that people with disabilities could fully participate in civic life and access City services on an equal basis.
Betty served the City of Los Angeles for approximately 30 years in several key roles, including Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office for the Disabled, the predecessor to today’s Department on Disability. She later served as Director of Community Affairs for the Department on Disability and as a Commissioner on the City of Los Angeles Commission on Disability. Through these roles, she helped strengthen the City’s commitment to civil rights, program access, and inclusion.
A respected leader at the state and international levels, Betty was appointed to the California Commission on Disability Access and served on numerous boards and advisory groups focused on disability policy, health, and community inclusion. She also represented Los Angeles at national and international forums, including speaking before the United Nations on disability issues.
Among her many accomplishments, Betty played a key role in developing the Accessible City Expo: Community Resources and Employment Fair, an annual event connecting thousands of people with disabilities to services, employment opportunities, assistive technology, and community resources. Her work helped expand awareness of disability rights and foster stronger partnerships between government agencies, service providers, and the disability community.
In recognition of her extraordinary service, the Los Angeles City Council proclaimed July 29, 2011 as “Betty Ruth Wilson Day.” Her legacy continues to influence disability access efforts throughout Los Angeles and beyond.
Award Details
Eligibility Criteria
The Betty Wilson Humanitarian Award of Excellence is awarded to:
- An individual who has lived or worked in the City of Los Angeles and has had direct involvement in improving accessibility and quality of life for people with disabilities; or
- An organization or agency based in the City of Los Angeles that has fostered community transformation related to people with disabilities
Judging Criteria
The Betty Wilson Humanitarian Award of Excellence honoree will be selected based on nominations submitted to and approved by the City of Los Angeles Commission on Disability. Current Commissioners are not eligible for nomination or selection.
Awards Presentation
The Betty Wilson Humanitarian Award of Excellence will be presented at a meeting of the City of Los Angeles Commission on Disability in June of each year, where the award recipient will be formally recognized.
- Bylaws of the Commission on Disability
- Contact the Commission on Disability
Phone: (213) 202-2764
Email: dod.contact@lacity.org